I never really understood the expression “time flies” until now. The past three months have gone by faster than one can say “mind the gap” or get used to people constantly asking you where the “rubbish bin” is. I wish I could put this more eloquently, but the only words I can use to describe the realization that my time in London is nearly over are “complete and utter shock.” I refuse to say goodbye to London, the city whose cosmopolitan charm offers a range of cultural activities and an inability to be bored, as well as the place that I am lucky to call home. Although I won’t miss the British pound’s 1.6 exchange rate to the dollar nor the incessant rain, there are certain things I have become accustomed to this semester which I now can’t fathom living without.
1. Ben’s Cookies
Imagine the best cookie you have ever had, then multiply the feeling you experience on your taste buds by one thousand, and you might just get close to the scrumptious taste of Ben’s Cookies. These cookies are homemade, always fresh, and soft gooey chocolate oozes out of every bite. Even if you’re not a cookie person, I promise that after just one bite of Ben’s, your mind will be blown forever. Ben’s Cookies is a daily indulgence of mine that soon got transformed into a daily necessity, and as someone who has tried nearly every flavor of cookie since being in London, I can attest that milk chocolate and oatmeal raisin are the best. You really can’t go wrong when they offer 8 cookies for the price of 6, and I am still trying to figure out how to transport 100 freshly baked cookies back to New York. As of right now there are no Ben’s Cookie stores in the United States, but I plan to write the CEO an extremely convincing e-mail on why they should open up a store in the Dirty D. Who’s with me?
2. The Accents
There’s truly nothing better than an English accent, and hearing young children on the Tube (read; Subway) say “mummy” and speak in a proper manner. Instantly British children sound 100 times smarter than any study abroad student, and can even make a temper-tantrum sound legitimate and classy. Hearing my professors speak with English accents also keeps me engaged and my intrigue towards these accents consistently holds my attention in class. While I will dearly miss using the word “cheers” to say goodbye and hearing the man outside my Tube station shout “Standard” at the top of his lungs as he passes out the evening paper, thankfully both my big and little in my sorority are British so I will be able to continue listening to their accents once I am back at Duke!
3. Traveling
Living in a city that has 6 airports makes it cheap and easy to jet set to any other city in Europe. As a result, I have spent the majority of my weekends abroad traveling to different cities, absorbing the culture, and taking in all that surrounds me. Never in my life will I have the opportunity to visit 12 different cities, all while retaining a base that I am ecstatic to come home to. I don’t know what I’m going to do when Thursday night rolls around and I don’t have to cram all the necessities into a carry-on bag and prepare for a weekend of newness, adventure, and sheer happiness. I am genuinely going to miss waking up at 5am to catch my flight, trying foods from every culture, and enjoying a different authentic cultural experience each week.
4. Premature Christmas Spirit
Londoners don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to start advertising Christmas and hanging up lights and decorations on every street. To this point, the Christmas spirit has been in full throttle since the first week in November here in England, and there is no better feeling than walking down Regent Street admiring the lights that signify the 12 days of Christmas, or slowly window shopping past every department store and paying more attention to the Christmas lights than to the clothes and shoes. The Christmas spirit in London is apparent everywhere and makes it impossible to have a bad day; looking up and seeing the miraculous Christmas directions automatically turns any somber mood into a jolly one, and there is really nothing better.
All in all, it’s safe to say I will be very sad to leave London in just a few weeks now and I may have to be forced onto my flight home. At the same time, nothing quite compares to good ‘ol Duke so I could hardly stay away forever!